Textile machine stop motion



Jan. 2, 1968 J, c. I N Q 3,360,830

TEXTILE MACHINE STOP MOTION Filed Aug. 17, 1965 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,360,830 TEXTILE MACHINE STOP MOTION Joe C. Wilson, Rte. 1, Iron Station, N.C. 28080 Filed Aug. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 480,339 9 Claims. (c1. 19-.26)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A textile machine having rotatable working instrumentalities, at least certain of which are mounted for This invention relates to a stop motion for textile machines, and more particularly, to a stop motion responsive to the occurrence of a lap-up of textile material about the working instrumentalities of the textile machine.

A number of the processing steps involved in converting textile raw materials into a finished textile product involve the processing of the materials in strand form. In textile machines for processing textile strand materials, the strand material is commonly passed between and operated on by one or more cooperating pairs of working instrumentalities. Such working instrumentalities may be pairs of drafting rolls, with the textile strand material being drafted on passage between successive pairs of the drafting rolls, or where a continuous filament textile material is to be formed into cut staple, the working instrumentalities may include breaker instrumentalities, commonly referred to as breaker bars.

In any instance, such textile machines are subject to the occurrence of a lap-up of the textile strand material about a Working instrumentality, as when the textile strand material separates or breaks. Upon the occurrence of such a lapup, damage to the working instrumentalities and/ or an inordinate loss of production and waste may-easily occur unless remedial action is taken very quickly after the occurrence of the lap-up.

In an attempt to avoid damage to the drafting rolls of a textile machine having such rolls, and to reduce, insofar as possible, the production loss from the occurrence of a lap-up, it is conventional Wherever possible, to mount the upper of a cooperating pair of the drafting rolls for rotation about a movable axis. It is fairly common practice to provide a stop motion device which is responsive to upward movement of this upper drafting roll and is effective to stop the operation of the textile machine in response to such movement upon the occurrence of a lap-up. Such stop motions are effective to a certain extent upon the occurrence of a lap-up about the upper drafting rolls but are frequently ineffective to sense the occurrence of a lap-up about the bottom roll until a large amount of strand material has wound thereabout and frequently n 3,360,830 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 not before damage to the rolls has occurred. For obvious reasons, such stop motion devices are not satisfactory for use in conjunction with working instrumentalities which are preferably or actually mounted for rotation on fixed axes, and heretofore no stop motion devices have been provided for such working instrumentalities, which include the bottom drafting rolls both breaker bars of a pair, and the like.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a stop motion device for use with textile machines for processing textile strand materials and in conjunction with a working instrumentality mounted for rotation about a fixed axis.

A further, and more specific, object of the present invention is to provide a stop motion device which is satisfactory when used with more than one type of working instrumentalities of textile machines for the processing of textile strand materials, and particularly where such Working instrumentalities are mounted for rotation about fixed axes.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a textile machine incorporating the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the machine of FIGURE 1 showing certain working instrumentalities and stop motion devices;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a working instrumentality and stop motion device taken substantially along the line 33 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through a portion of the operating instrumentality and stop motion device taken substantially along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a

-textile machine, indicated general y at 10, is shown and is of the general type described above. That is, the textile machine 10 is intended for use in processing man-made textile materials of the continuous filament type by breaking the continuous filaments into staple lengths and drafting the thus formed staple material. In order to perform this operation, the textile machine 10 is provided with tween the upper and lower rear drafting roll-s 13, 14,

which feed the strand material forwardly at a predetermined rate toward the front drafting rolls 11, 12 which are rotating at a faster speed than the rear drafting rolls.

Intermediate the two pairs of drafting rolls, and within the drafting zone, are positioned upper and lower breaker instrumentalities 15, 16 (respectively). Each breaker instrumentality 15, 16 comprises a generally cylindrical body having a circular series of spaced apart bar members 17, 18. The breaker instrumentalities 15, 16 are mounted for rotation about fixed axes, and are driven in coordinated rotation with the drafting rolls 11, 12, 13 and 14 to engage the strand material S at points longitudinally spaced along the material, corresponding to the desired staple length. The center-to-center distance between the breaker instrumentalities 15, 16 is such that the textile material S is displaced from a straight line path between the nip of the two pairs of drafting instrumentalities and thus, the continuous filament material is broken into staple lengths.

Textile machines of the general type here described and illustrated in the drawings are conventional and are manufactured and sold for commercial use by the Turbo Machine Company. Also, while this type of machine is here described and illustrated, it should be understood that the present invention is equally applicable to other textile machines having working instrumentalities of the same or different character.

In processing textile material through a textile machine of the type described, the textile material S will, from time to time, separate and at least portions of the material will be wound around a working instrumentality of the machine, in an occurrence known as a lap-up. Upon the occurrence of a lap-up, the textile material will rapidly build to a thickness about the instrumentality which is greater than can be tolerated between a pair of cooperating working instrumentalities, and result in forcing the instrumentalities apart, and where the instrumentalities are mounted for rotation about fixed axes, such action can result in bending, breaking or otherwise damaging the instrumentalities or the shafts by which they are supported for rotation. In order to avoid this difficulty, the present invention provides stop motion devices responsive to the occurrence of a lap-up of textile material about the working instrumentalities of the machine, and a control system operated by the devices and effective to stop the machine.

More particularly, a plurality of stop motion devices, indicated generally at 20, 21, 22 and 23 (FIGURE 2) are mounted adjacent the working instrumentalities of the machine to be engaged by textile material upon the occurrence of a lap-up. Each of the stop motion devices is constructed similar to the others, and operates on the same principles. For purposes of making more clear the details of the construction and method of operation of the stop motion devices, reference is made to a stop motion device 21 associated with the lower front drafting instrumentality 12 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4).

The stop motion device 21 comprises an elongate electrically conductive bar member 24 which is operatively connected to an electrical control system, indicated schematically in FIGURE 3, as by means of a wire 25. The

elongate bar member 24 is supported in a position substantially parallel to the axis about which the associated drafting instrumentality 12 rotates, by means which permit laterally pivotal and translational movement, as indicated by arrows in FIGURE 4. More particularly, an electrically conductive channel member 26 is provided which is attached to and supported from the frame of the textile machine 10, as by means of a bolt or other fastener 27. The channel member 26 has side walls 30, 31 and a bottom wall 32. Two pin members 33 are secured 'to the elongate bar member 24, and pass through the lower wall 32 of the channel member 26, being held from electrical contact with the channel member 26 by insulating bushings or grommets 34. The outer ends of the -rod members 33 are threaded, and carry adjustable stop means, such as nuts 35 and lock nuts 36. Intermediate the insulating bushing 34 and the elongate bar member 24 is positioned a spring member 37, which biases the elongate bar member 24 into the desired position (upwardly in FIGURE 3). By virtue of the loose fit of the rod members 33 within the insulating bushings 34, the elongate bar member 24 may be forced to move in translation (downwardly in FIGURES 3 and 4) or in laterally pivotal movement (as indicated by arcuate arrows in FIGURE 4), upon being engaged by textile material when a lap-up occurs about the associated working instrumentality, which in this instance is the lower front drafting roll 12.

In order to interrupt operation of the textile machine upon the occurrence of a lap-up, a control system is provided which is responsive to electrical contact of the bar member 24 of any device 20, 21, 22, 23 with a contact means spaced from the normally biased position of the respective member, a portion of which is defined by channel member 26. More particularly, the control system (FIGURE 3) includes a relay R, the contacts of which control the application of line current to a motor M driving the textile machine 10. One terminal of the relay R winding is connected to the elongate bar member 24, by means of the conductor 25, while the other terminal of the winding is connected to one side of the secondary winding of a suitable transformer T. The other side of the secondary winding of the transformer T is electrically connected to the channel member 26, which defines a portion of the contact means. As may be readily understood from FIGURE 4, pivotal movement of the bar member 24 will cause the bar member 24 to engage the side walls 31, 32 of the channel member 26, thereby completing the electrical circuit required to energize the winding of the relay R and opening the relay contacts to remove line current from the motor M driving the textile machine 10.

In order to similarly operate the control system upon translational movement of the elongate bar member 24, floating abutment means are provided in the channel member 26. More particularly, headed rod members 40 are carried by the elongate channel member and extend downwardly through openings in the bottom wall 32 of the channel member 26. The outer lower ends of the headed rod members 40 are threaded, and carry stop means such as nuts 41 to properly position the headed rod members 40 and assist in providing an electrical contact of the headed rod members to the channel member 26. Spring members 42 are interposed between the headed end of the rod member 40 and the lower wall 32 of the channel member 26, in order to bias the abutment members into an upward position. Upon downward translation of the elongate bar member 24, the lower surface of the bar comes into electrical contact with the floating abutments provided by the headed row members 40 completing an electrical circuit through the winding of the relay R, and opening the associated contacts to remove line current from the motor M and stop the operation of the machine.

While described above with reference to a specific stop motion device 21, positioned beneath the front drafting roll 12 of the textile machine 10, the stop motion devices 20, 22 and 23, are similarly constructed and mounted adjacent corresponding operating instrumentalities, such as the top front drafting roll 11 and the breaker instrumentalities 15 and 16, and are connected to and operate the control system in the same manner. While in the instance of the upper of each pair of operating instrumentalities it is necessary to place the stop motion devices above rather than below the operating instrumentality, the operation of the devices is not affected.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile machine having rotatable, cooperating pairs of working instrumentalities, at least certain of said instrumentalities being mounted for rotation on a fixed axis, the combination therewith of stop motion means for sensing the occurrence of a lap-up of textile material about at least one of said certain instrumentalities and Stopping the textile machine in response thereto comprising:

an electrical contact device positioned adjacent the at least one instrumentality to be engaged with and actuated by textile material upon the occurrence of a lap-up thereon, said electrical contact device including a conductive member supported for selective pivotal and translational movement upon engagement with the textile material and contact means positioned to be contacted by said conductive member upon such movement thereof, and

control means operatively connected to said contact device for stopping the machine upon actuation of said device upon the occurrence of a lapup.

2. In a textile machine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said working instrumentalities are mounted for rotation about fixed axes and a plurality of electrical contact devices are provided, each being positioned adjacent one of the plurality of instrumentalities mounted for rotation about fixed axes, and wherein said control means is connected to each of said plurality of contact devices and is operable for stopping the machine upon actuation of any one of said contact devices.

3. In a textile machine according to claim 1 wherein said working instrumentalities are drafting instrumentalities.

4. In a textile machine having drafting instrumentalities for drafting a textile strand and rotatable breaker instrumentalities for breaking continuous filaments into staple lengths, and wherein at least certain of said drafting instrumentalities are mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, the combination therewith of stop motion means for sensing the occurrence of a lap-up of textile material about at least one of the certain drafting instrumentalities and at least one of said breaker instrumentalities and for stopping the textile machine in response thereto comprising:

control system means for stopping the machine,

an electrically conductive bar member for at least one of said certain drafting instrumentalities and for at least one of said breaker instrumentalities and each being operatively connected to the control system means,

means yieldably supporting each of said bar members for laterally pivotal and translational movement and for normally biasing the same into a position immediately adjacent the associated instrumentality and said bar members being adapted to be engaged with and displaced by the textile strand upon the occurrence of a lapup on the associated instrumentalities, and

contact means positioned relative to each of said bar members for electrical contact wtih the same upon laterally pivotal and translational displacement from the normal biased position, and said contact means being operatively connected to the control system means for stopping the machine upon electrical contact with said bar member.

5. In a textile machine having drafting instrumentalities for drafting textile strand material and breaker instrumentalities for breaking continuous filaments into staple lengths and wherein a plurality of the drafting and breaker instrumentalities are mounted for rotation about fixed axes, the combination therewith of stop motion means for sensing the occurrence of a lap-up of fiber about any of the plurality of instrumentalities and for stopping the textile machine in response thereto comprising:

control system means for stopping the machine,

a plurality of electrically conductive bar members, each being operatively connected to the control system means,

independent means for yieldably supporting each of said bar members for laterally pivotal and translational movement relative to the fixed axis of one of the certain instrumentalities and for normally biasing the same into a position immediately adjacent the 6 related instrumentality to be engaged with and displaced by the strand material upon the occurrence of a lap-up thereon, and a plurality of contact means, each being positioned relative to one of said bar members for electrical contact with the same upon laterally pivotal and translational displacement for the normal biased position, and each of said contact means being operatively connected to the control system means for stopping the machine upon. electrical contact with the related bar member.

6. In a textile machine having drafting instrumentalities for drafting textile strand material and wherein at least certain drafting instrumentalities are mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, the combination therewith of stop motion means for sensing the occurrence of a lap-up of fiber about at least one of the certain drafting instrumentalities and for stopping the textile machine in response thereto comprising:

control means for stopping the machine,

an electrically conductive bar member operatively connected to the control means, means yieldably supporting said bar member for laterally pivotable and translational movement relative to the fixed axis and for normally biasing the same into a position immediately adjacent the at least one instrumentality to be engaged with and dis-placed by fiber upon the occurrence of a lap-up thereon, and

contact means positioned relative to said bar member for electrical contact with the same upon laterally pivotal and translational displacement from the normal biased position, and said contact means being operatively connected to the control means for stopping the machine upon electrical contact with said bar member.

7. In a textile machine having rotatable breaker instrumentalities for breaking continuous filaments into staple lengths, the combination therewith of stop motion means for sensing the occurrence of a lap-up of textile material about at least one of said breaker instrumentalities and for stopping the machine in response thereto comprising:

an electrical contact device positioned adjacent at least one of said breaker instrumentalities to be engaged with an actuated by textile material upon the occurrence of a lap-up thereon, and

control means operatively connected to said contact device for stopping the textile machine upon actuation of said device upon the occurrence of a lap-up.

8. In a textile machine having rotatable breaker instrumentalities for breaking continuous filaments into staple lengths, the combination therewith of stop motion means for sensing the occurrence of a lap-up textile material about the breaker instrumentalities comprising:

control system means for stopping the machine,

an electrically conductive bar member for each of said breaker instrumentalities and operatively connected to the control system means,

means for yieldably supporting one of said bar members for laterally pivotal and translational movement relative to each of said breaker instrumentalities and for normally biasing the same into a position immediately adjacent said instrumentality to be engaged with and displaced by the filamentary material upon the occurrence of a lap-up thereon, and

contact means positioned relative to each of said bar members for electrical contact with the same upon laterally pivotal and translational displacement from the normal biased position thereof, and said contact means being operatively connected to the control system means for stopping the machine upon electrical cont-act with any one of said bar members.

9. In a textile machine having drafting instrumentali-' ties for drafting textile strand material and rotatable breaker instrumentalities for breaking continuous filament 7 into staple lengths and wherein at least certain of the drafting instrumentalities are mounted for rotation about fixed axes, the combination therewith of stop motion means for sensing the occurrence of a lap-up of strand material about at least one of said certain drafting instrumentalities and about at least one of said breaker instrumentalities and for stopping the textile machine in response thereto comprising:

an electrical contact device disposed adjacent each of the at least one drafting instrumentality and the at least one breaker instrumentality to be engaged with and actuated by textile strand material upon the occurrence of a lap-up about any one of said related instrumentalities, and

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,635,693 7/1927 Scott 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 334,242 9/ 1930 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

I. C. WADDEY, Assistant Examiner. 

